


Code Potato

by Blizzard_Fire



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Adorable Bruce Banner, Avengers Family, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Bruce Banner-centric, Domestic Avengers, Everyone Is Poly Because Avengers, Everyone carries Bruce around that's the whole fic, Fluff, Group Cuddling, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multi, OT6, Protective Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Protective Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:08:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24072700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blizzard_Fire/pseuds/Blizzard_Fire
Summary: Steve was waiting outside the lab. 'Code potato Tony, really? That's what we're calling it?''Yeah,' Tony grunted. 'Because he's a hot potato. Here.' He set Bruce down. 'Your turn. Don't drop him.''Tony, this isn't funny,' Bruce yelped as he was swept into Steve's arms.'You're right, this is serious business,' Tony agreed with a wink. 'Consider this an intervention. JARVIS? This lab is now locked until midday tomorrow. No exceptions.'Bruce has overworked himself in the lab again. The other Avengers team up to drag his ass to bed - literally.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Clint Barton, Bruce Banner/Everyone, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Bruce Banner/Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner/Thor, Bruce Banner/Tony Stark
Comments: 14
Kudos: 279





	Code Potato

**Author's Note:**

> *announcer voice* And now for something a little different! This was originally going to be gen but then it got a bit shippy up in here. Who doesn't love some poly Avengers?

Bruce glared at the lab monitor, wringing his hands. For a moment he considered just Hulking out right now; at least then he'd be free of this damn project.

Still glaring, he reached for his mug of coffee and took a sip, only to find it cold and empty. The lab was dark except for the glow of screens. Normally the humming of computers soothed him, but tonight it was like having a fly buzzing around his head. If he could just get this formula right...

'Burning the late-night oil?' Tony strolled in wearing a faded Iron Man t-shirt and a worn pair of jeans. His hair was messy, recently towelled dry from a shower. 'Oh, I know that face. It's your stuck-on-a-science-problem face. It's also your constipated face. So which is it?'

Bruce turned back to the screen. 'I'm working on a new tranquiliser serum for Clint's arrows. More effective, and in smaller doses. It's almost ready, but...' He waved a hand sadly at the data. 'Just can't quite perfect it.'

'It's tough being an evil genius. Long hours, dark lair, opera...' Tony stepped up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist. 'Hey, what time is it?'

'Uh, I don't know. About 6pm?' There had to be an obvious solution. A stabilising agent to balance out the formula...

 _'It is currently half past three in the morning, Doctor,'_ said JARVIS smoothly.

Bruce blinked. 'Really?' He rubbed his eyes under his glasses. 'Well, it doesn't matter. When I get this finished - '

'J, how long since Banner left the lab?'

Bruce sighed. 'Tony.'

_'Doctor Banner has been working for eighteen hours.'_

'Traitor,' he muttered.

Tony nuzzled the side of his neck. 'There's a dozen empty mugs here. Have you even been to the bathroom?'

Bruce's face grew warm. 'I uh, just went in the sink. I was too busy.' The numbers blurred in front of his eyes and he blinked hard, trying to focus. 'I'm so close Tony, I can feel it.'

'That sentence would be so hot in any other context. Hey, you got time for a grope break?' Gentle hands tugged at him until he reluctantly turned around. Tony's eyes reflected the blue of the screen. 'This whole ruffled-hair-and-lab-coat thing you've got going on? It's pushing all the right buttons for me. I love it. Except for the fact that you're swaying like a drunken pirate.'

Now that he was turned away from the screen, Bruce realised that he _did_ feel rather off-balance. 'You just wanna see me in the boots and the laced shirt,' he said wryly. But he let Tony remove his glasses and set them down on the table behind him. 'You take a look at it. See what I'm doing wrong.'

Tony just shrugged. 'Biotechnics has never been my field.' His hands dipped inside Bruce's lab coat, wandering down his sides, past his hips and finally cupping his ass. 'You know what would really drive me wild? Seeing you put this thing on a chair every now and then. Or a bed, if you really want to spoil me.'

'Later. I'm busy. You know what it's like when you have a project going on.' Bad example. Too many times, he'd seen Tony when gripped in the throes of a new project. He'd forget to eat or sleep, and without intervention he would pass out in his workshop, screwdriver still in hand. But that was beside the point, Bruce's project was _important_. Or at least it had seemed important when he'd gotten started this morning. 'Grope break over?'

There was a glint in Tony's eye. 'Grope break over,' he agreed, and planted a chaste kiss on Bruce's lips. Then the hands on his ass tightened and Bruce was lifted off the floor.

'Woah - Tony what are you doing?' Bruce wrapped his arms around Tony's neck as they wobbled across the lab.

'JARVIS, summon the team,' he grunted. 'We have a code potato.'

_'Of course, sir.'_

Bruce laughed uncertainly. 'Tony, put me down. I have work to do.'

But Tony wasn't listening. With surprising strength, he walked them away from Bruce's precious experiments and out through the open door. 'For someone who likes to lecture me on my working habits, you don't take your own advice, green bean.'

Outside the lab, Steve was waiting with folded arms and a fond smile. 'Code potato Tony, really? That's what we're calling it?'

'Yeah,' Tony grunted. 'Because he's a hot potato. Here.' He set Bruce down. 'Your turn. Don't drop him.'

Bruce huffed and marched back towards the lab. He made it all of two steps before a strong pair of arms grabbed him and hauled him back. 'Tony, this isn't funny,' he yelped as he was swept into Steve's arms.

'You're right, this is serious business,' Tony agreed with a wink. 'Consider this an intervention. Take him away, Cap. JARVIS? This lab is now locked until midday tomorrow. No exceptions.'

_'A wise choice, sir.'_

Bruce struggled feebly as Steve took him down the corridor, but there was no breaking out of his iron hold without the other guy. 'Steve,' he said, trying and failing not to sound like a petulant child. 'I've been working on this project for three weeks. I'm so close to a breakthrough - '

JARVIS interrupted. ' _With respect Doctor, you were "close to a breakthrough" nine hours ago. I daresay it can wait a little longer.'_

'You're going to burn yourself out, Bruce.' Steve slowed his pace to press a kiss to his forehead. 'We're worried about you.'

Bruce fell into sulky silence. It didn't matter if they were right, that he hadn't slept properly in days and there was currently a migraine creeping behind his right eye. It was the principle of the whole thing. 'Did you guys plan this? Was this a premeditated potato?'

Steve chuckled. 'Sorry, my lips are sealed.'

Natasha met them outside the living area, hands deep in the pockets of an oversized hoodie (Thor's, probably). 'Wow, he _does_ look awful,' she said dryly.

'Alright, I get it.' Bruce rubbed his face wearily and his hand grated on stubble. When was the last time he shaved? 'Just - just give me another hour. I can do it...' But his voice lacked conviction, and he wasn't convincing even himself. Another hour would only bring him more frustration.

So he allowed Steve to pass him to Natasha, who hefted him into an effortless bridal carry. 'For the record,' he said evenly, 'I could easily escape all five of you.'

She laughed. 'You wanna test that?'

'Hmm I would, but I kinda like this carpet.'

Still smiling, Natasha leaned in to kiss him hard. It was slow and deep and commanding and it robbed the breath from him - just the way she knew he liked. And it worked on him every time.

Bruce couldn't hold back a pleased hum as she finally pulled back. 'Better?' she murmured.

It took him a moment to find his words. 'Fine, you win. I'm not picking this fight.' He knew better than to argue with a group of superheroes determined to take care of him.

'I can take him from here, Steve.' With a smirk, she took them through the communal living quarters, which included the bar, games room, library and home gym. Bruce allowed himself a moment of gratitude. After everything he'd been through, it was nice to have people looking out for him... whether he liked it or not. Perhaps especially then.

Clint looked up from the couch. 'What's - oh shit, is it potato time?' He stood up, jamming in his hearing aids. 'I totally zoned out. Did you guys pull him out of the lab?' He glanced at Bruce's dishevelled white coat. 'I'm surprised you're all still breathing. Gimme a turn!' He hurried over, making grabby hands. Natasha briefly set Bruce down, then he was hefted over Clint's shoulder in an undignified fireman's lift that took his breath away in the not-fun way. 'Tony _did_ warn you about overdoing it in the lab, right? It's your own fault for being so stubborn.'

Bruce dangled resignedly from Clint's back, waving at Natasha as she disappeared from sight. 'Didn't realise that meant you were all conspiring against me.'

'You work too much. Clearly we need to tire you out more.' Clint slapped his butt suggestively before elbowing a door open. 'Next time you work too hard, I'm gonna come find you and blow you so hard you forget what a proton is.'

As they rounded the corner towards the sleeping quarters, Clint stopped. 'Oh, hey. You gonna put this goofball to bed?'

'Indeed,' said Thor from somewhere ahead of them.

Clint set Bruce down on his feet. 'Can I trust you to walk it from here, Doc?'

Bruce steadied himself against the wall, momentarily dizzy from being upside-down. Thor was clad in a black t-shirt and soft pyjama trousers, golden hair pulling free from a messy bun. He looked cosy and calm and warm. He looked like home.

Slowly, Bruce held out his arms like a sleepy two-year-old. 'Take me to bed?'

Thor needed no further encouragement. With the strength of a gentle giant, he lifted Bruce into his warm arms and kissed him sweetly. 'You work hard Bruce, but sometimes you neglect yourself.'

Bruce hid his face in Thor's neck and closed his eyes. 'I am pretty tired,' he admitted begrudgingly. When he got started on something it was hard to stop, and it consumed him. He'd always been like that, even before the other guy. Sometimes he needed someone to pull him out of there.

Each of the Avengers had their own room, but most nights were spent in Tony's double king-size bed. Thor sat him down on the supersoft mattress, kissed him again, then went to find him a change of clothes.

'Dim the lights please, JARVIS.' Bruce sighed gratefully as the room faded to semi-darkness. Thinking back now, his stubborness seemed silly. Of course the project could wait until tomorrow. How could he solve such complex problems on so little rest? 'When did Tony come up with code potato?'

_'I believe it was last Wednesday. Mister Stark held an informal briefing in the games room.'_

Bruce shrugged out of his lab coat and tossed it onto the bed. 'Where was I at the time?'

_'You were working in the lab.'_

He chuckled. 'Okay, point taken.'

A minute later, Thor returned and helped Bruce undress, his blue eyes glowing fondly. Now that Bruce was out of the lab, his nervous energy had dissipated and it was an effort to even hold his head up. But he managed to shrug on the pants and button up the shirt. (Tony loved poking fun at his "old man" sleepwear, but did Tony's pyjamas have a _breast pocket?_ No, they did not.)

With the last of his strength, Bruce pulled back the covers and crawled into bed. 'You joining me?'

'Of course.' Thor was already climbing in beside him. He pulled Bruce against his chest, spooning comfortably. His warmth radiated pleasantly down Bruce's back, like a muscly Asgardian hot water bottle.

Bruce was dozing when the door opened again. 'Room for a few more?' asked Natasha, smiling. They'd all changed into sleeping attire - except for Clint, who insisted on sleeping naked even in the dead of winter.

'Better make sure he doesn't escape,' said Tony. 'Cap, you take the other side. He's not wiggling out of this one.'

'I'm done wiggling,' he assured them with a yawn. 'God, I haven't slept in...'

_'Twenty-one hours, Doctor.'_

Steve just sighed disapprovingly, sliding up under the covers. He lay down on his back and Bruce rested his head on his chest, already half-asleep again. At first, Bruce had found it strange to be surrounded by so many warm bodies, but now he couldn't imagine sleeping without them.

'You guys are adorable.' Tony crawled in on Steve's side. 'Love a good Bruce sandwich.'

Bruce yawned. 'Yeah, 'm the peanut butter.'

Natasha got in behind Thor. Clint took his place beside Tony.

Tony squeaked. 'Christ, your feet are cold!'

'It's fine,' said Clint with an audible grin, 'I know the perfect place to warm them up.'

'If you stick your foot up my ass I'm swapping all your arrows with rubber ones.'

After some more bickering and fidgeting, everyone snuggled down and JARVIS turned out the lights. Thor pressed a tender kiss to the back of Bruce's neck, his breaths soon evening out to gentle snores. Bruce brushed his thumb down Steve's shoulder, wondering what he did to deserve these people. Thanks to the other guy, Bruce was practically invulnerable. He needed no protection. And yet here, surrounded by sleeping Avengers who would do anything to keep him safe and happy... he felt protected. In recent months, he'd found an inner peace he'd never experienced before. And he wouldn't trade it for anything.

Bruce smiled as he drifted off to sleep, surrounded by the people loved. They'd changed his life for the better.

And tomorrow, he'd show them just how much he appreciated them all.

**Author's Note:**

> I came up with this at about 3am just before going to sleep and frantically noted it down on my phone. Next morning I looked and I'd written "Bruce overworked assembly line" and thought, needs more kissing.


End file.
